Articulated car



Sept. 27, 1932. A. w. CLARKE 1,879,093

ARTICULATED CAR Filed Nov. l, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,TTRNEY Sept. 27, 1932. A. w. CLARKE ARTIGULATED CAR Filed Nov. 1. 195o s sheets-sheetV 2 Sept. 27, 1932. A. w. CLARKE 1,879,093

- ARTICULATED CAR Filed NOV. l, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /A//Vf/vra/e y /ZZe/z idf/diie 60 g* @l a Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE ALLEN W. CLARKE,

F RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY 4` ARTICULATED CAR AppIicaton filed November 1, 1930. Serial No. 492,688.

-his invention relates to articulated cars of the type in which the adjacent end portions of two car bodies are supported by a single truck 1irnown in the art as a. pivot truck.

One object of this invention is the provision of a connection for the adjacent end portions of adjacent bodies of an articulated car which will maintain theends in their proper relative positions and at the same time permit the bodies to turn or pivot relative to each other when rounding curves.

Another object of this invention ris the provision of a connection for the adjacent end portions of adjacent bodies of an articulated car which includes a pivot truck having spaced independently functioning bolsters for respectively supporting theadjacent end portions of said bodies; the truck also including an element into which the car ends extend for preventing relative lateral shifting of the bodies and for transmitting trac'- tion stresses from the bodies to the truck from one body to the other through the truck.

Still another object of this inventionis the provision of a new and improved body connection casting for an articulated car.

Afurtlier object of this invention is the provision of an articulated car construction having'a plurality of vcar bodies connected to a common truck, thev adjacent ends ofsaid bodies having interenga-ged body connection castings which prevent relative vertical shifting of the bodies. Y' Y Other' objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: l

Fig. 1 is a top plan viewV of the end portions of adjacent car bodies,A certain parts being shown in'section, other parts being broken away and still other partssbeing omitted in order to more clearly show the invention.

5 Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the articulated joint.

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the car bodies showing the body connection casting in positionwithtruck transomsand center 5o casting removed.

Figl is a top plan view of the body connection casting.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the lmet-*5, Fig'. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-v-6,V

Fig. .4.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the body conthe ad- Y nection casting shown in Fig. 4;.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through jacent end portions of adjacent car'bodies showing a modification of the articulated joint, and

Y Fig. 9 is a partial top plan view of the modication shown in Fig. 8. Y

Referring k'now more particularly to the drawings in which similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the several views, the adjacent endportions of two car bodies are shown at A and B, the bodies having an unde'rframe which includes spaced channels 2 forming the center sills, and Van end sill of any preferred orrdesired construction. f

The adjacent ends ofthe car bodies are provided with doorways, framed by U4shaped channels the sides 'of-which define posts 4; oneA flange of each of the channels being eX- tended beyond its car end to definean attaching means for a flexible diaphragm 6, as shown clearly in Fig. l, the diaphragm deining a closed passageway between Lthe adjacent bodies A and B. v

The Iadj acent end portions ofk bodies A and By are'supportedby a common or pivot truck indicated generallyat C which is provided with a pair of independent spaced holsters S,v one arranged under the end portion of each body as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and said bolsters are eacharranged between pairs of transoms 10.. Each-bolster 8 is provided with a bearing'12 on its upper surface, said bearings Y and form part of the body underfraines, and

as shown more clearly in Figs. 4to 7 `inclusive, each casting comprises a body portion having top and bottom walls 16 and 18 respectively and a front wall 2O curved to the y form shown in Fig. 4 to deline a buiing and pivoting area 22 midway between the side walls 24 of the casting. The castings are reinforced by interna-l longitudinal and transverse webs 26 and 28 respectively and said castings extend between the spaced channels 2, with their side walls 24 in engagement withV and secured to said channels by suitable fasteners such as the rivets 30.

The castings D are provided adjacent their front endsy with depending arcuateprojections 32 which extend into a transverse truck member E arranged between the bolsters 8; the member E comprising in the instance shown, the transoms l() between the bolsters 8 and a hollow truck centering casting 34 into which the projections 32 extend. As shown clearly in Fig. 2 the casting 34 is thickened at 35 adjacent its upper end to reinforce the casting and in practice, pulling stresses are transmitted from the c ar bodies to the truck through the transverse member E and obviously through .the casting 34. `The opening in the casting 34 is substantially circular to conform to the arcuate shape of the proj ections 32 and it will -be apparent that relative lateral shifting of the car bodies is prevented through the engagement of the projections 32 with the castingV 34.

The side edges of the projections 32 are provided respectively with a vertically arranged projecting tongue 36 and a. vertically arranged recess or groove 38, and the castings on adjacent end portions of adjacent cars are identical, therefore, when the bodies are assembled, the tongue 36 of one ,casting will enter the groove 38 of the adjacent casting, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, and'thus restrain the car bodies against relative vertical. shifting; the castings D in effect being interengaged.

VThe castings D, just described, bear a certain resemblance to the casting D shown in application of Allen WV. Clarke andWilliam Grifn filed November 1, 1930, Serial Number 492,687 but differ from said casting in the Clarke and Griflin application in several respects as will be apparent from a. comparison ofthe respective castings. For instance, the castings in the invention shown herein are so formed that when they are attached to the adjacent end portionsof car bodies they substantially abut so that buiiing stresses are transmitted directly from one car body to the other. A further distinction between the casting shown in the present invention and that of the Clarke and Grin invention is that the projection 32 in the present invention is arranged adjacent the end of the' body portion of the casting whereas in the Clarke and Griffin construction the projection is arranged at the forward end of the casting.

The arrangement of the projection on the casting of the present invention is provided so that the forward end of the casting constitutes a bung area.

Secured to the car bodies on each side of the castings D are body side bearings 40 adapted to cooperate with truck side bearings 42, which in the instance shown are rollers though obviously the side bearings may assume any desired or preferred form.

Extending between adjacent car bodies is afoot plate 44 supported by brackets 46 of Z shape in cross section; the brackets resting upon end top cover plates 48 secured to the castings D. Clips 50 are provided which are secured to the plates 48 and overlap the lower Hange of .the Z shaped brackets 46 to restrain the latter, and hence the foot plate against displacement. vThe foot plate 44 is supported in a manner similar to th at shown described and claimed in the before mentioned `Clarke and Grifhn application and no claim to the specific manner of supporting a foot plate is made in this application. Y

Fig. 8 discloses a modification of the construction shown in the remaining figures and the body center castings shown in Fig. 8 have the body bearings 5l formed separately thereof and attached to the end surfaces by means of rivets-52 or other suitable fasteners. The modification shows the end projections and the buiiingsurfaces formed independently of the connection castings and this modification contemplates the 'provision of a separate element secured to the castings. that in practice theprojections 32 and bufing and pivoting areas 22 shown in Fig. 2 will wear to such an extent that replacement is necessary. This is due to contact of the projections 32 with the thickened portion 35 of the casting 34 and contact of areas 22 with each other. To permit replacement of parts, the castings D shown in Fig. 8 areY each formed with an attaching face 54 at the front end thereof which preferably is machined to v nicely receive Van end casting indicated gcnerally at 56 and comprising a buiiing portion 58 and an arcuate depending projection 60 having its side edges provided respectively with a tongue 62 and a groove face 54 is arranged at substantially right angles to the side walls 24 of the casting, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and the end casting 56 is complemental to the end of casting D, 4as will be apparent. each provided with a horizontally extending attaching surface 66 which underlie the lower walls of the castings D and are secured thereto by suitable fasteners such as the rivets 68'.

From the above description it is believed that the construction of the carof the present invention will be fully apparent to those skilled intheart. In operation, in passing around cu-rves, the two car bodies A and B will swivel about the abutting surfaces at It is possible 64. The surt The end castings 56 are the forward ends of the castings D, said abutting ends defining a pivot. Obviously it is necessary to provide suiiicient clearance between working parts to compensate for breaks in track grades and this has been 'done in designing the car of the present invention.

As each car body is supported by its own truck bolster, bearings and side bearings, each body may oscillate or sway independently of or relative to the other. At the same time the bodies are prevented romrelative vertical shifting due to the interengagement of the projections 32. The interengagement of the projections 32 in e'ect constitutes an interengagement of the castings D and said interengagement serves also to distribute eX- cess load on one car to the other through the tongue and groove connections to the other body and then to the bolster and truck.

Y The castings D having their forward ends Y in abutting relation serve to retain the bodies in proper spaced relation and also serveV to take up buiiing shocks to which the bodies are subjected. The projections -32 extend into the transverse truck member E and pulling stresses between said bodies arev transmitted from the bodies tothe truck and to each other through said member E as will,

be apparent; this in addition to the usual transmission of pulling stresses through the connected body and truck bearings. l

It will be apparent from the above descrip-V tion that an articulated joint for railway`vehicles has been provided which will permit the necessary turning of adjacent car bodies, but which will prevent the separation of adjacent bodies in the event of failure of the segmental connections between the respecmember E serving to hold said bodies together.

The drawings show one embodiment of the invention but it is to be understood that they are for illustrative purposes only and various changes in the form and proportions' of the be made within the spirit construction may ofthe invention without departing romthe sccipe of the appended claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In an articulated car, a plurality of car bodies, a truck for supportingthe adjacent end portions of said bodies, a pair of spaced bolsters carried by the truck, body connection castings secured to the bodies at their adj acent end portions and arranged in substantially abutting relation, said castings each having a body center bearing in engagement with one of said bolsters. j

2. In an articulated car, a plurality of car bodies, a truck vfor supporting the adjacent end portions of said bodies, said truck having a pair of independent bolsters by which the car bodies are respectively supported, body connection castings secured to the adjacent end portions of said bodies and arranged in projections depending from the body connecr tion castings extended into the truck center casting. f f.

4. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end toend in'substantially abutting relation, a truclrfor supporting the adjacent end portions of said bodies, and means yfor connecting said bodies and truck comprising a pivot between said end` portions, a pairof bolsters each arranged beneathone end'por.-

tion of one of said bodies, and interengaged body and truck bearings between said end portions and bolsters adapted to'permit'horizontal swiveling movement of the bodies in a confined path, said pivot'being the center of swiveling movement.

' 5. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end in substantially abutting relation, a truck for supporting the` adjacent end portions of said bodies, and means Vfor a pivotbetween said ,endy portions, a'pairof bolsters each arranged beneath one end' por.- tion of one of said bodies, bearings between said end portions and bolsters adaptedto permit horizontal rotation of the car ends, said pivot'being the center of rotation, and interengaging projections on the car end portions for preventing relative verticalshifting ofsaid end portions. v

6. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end'in substantially abutting connecting said bodies and truck comprising vno relation,a truck for supporting the adjacent end Pportions of said bodies, and` means for connecting said bodies and truck comprising a pivot between said ends,a truck bolster arranged beneath the end portion-oi? each car body, bearings between the end portions and their respective bolsters adapted to permithorizontal rotation of said end portions,

Viw

said pivot being thevc'enter of rotation and comprising yal truck'center casting and projectionsv on said car ends extending into the truck center casting and cooperating there'- with vfor transmittingpulling stresses from the-bodies to the truck and for preventing relative horizontal shitting of the car bodies.

7. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end in substantially abutting relation, -a truck for supporting the adjacent end'portions of said bodies, and means for connecting said bodies andtruck comprising a `pivot between said ends, a truck bolster arranged'beneath the end por-tion of each car body, bearings between the end portions and their respective bolsters adapted to permit horizontal 'rotationot said end portions, said pivot being the center of rotation and comprising a truck center casting arranged `between said bolsters and projections on said car ends extending into `the truck center casting and cooperating therewith tor transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the truck and for preventing relative horizontal shifting of the car bodies.

8. In an articulated car, a pair ofcar bodies arrangedend to-end in substantially Vabutting relation, a truck for supporting the adjacent end port-ions of .said bodies, and means for connecting said bodiesv and truck comprising a pivot between said ends, a :truck bolster arranged beneath the end portion of each car body, bearings between the end portions andtheir respective bolsters adapted to permit horizontal rotation of said end portions, said pivot being the center of rotation and com Jrisinor a truck center eastinO arrangedV D D D between :said bolsters and projections on said car ends extending into the truck center casting and cooperating therewith for transmitting pulling stresses from the bod-ies'to the truck and for preven-ting'relative horizontal shitting Vof the car-bodies, said projections being interengaged whereby to prevent relative vert-ical shifting of the car bodies.

9. In an articulated car comprising a pluf rality of car bodies, underframes ifor said bodies, 'body `connection castings secured ,to adjacent end portions of said vbodies and provided with bearing elements depending therefrom intermediate the ends thereof, -said castings being providedV with `curved `forward ends defining buiiing areas arranged in substantially abutting relation, a projection on one of said ends, the other of said ends having a recess adapted to receive said projection to prevent relative vertical shifting of the bodies.

l0.V In an articulated car, apluralityof car bodies arranged end lto end to transmit buil'- -ing shocks vdirectly `from one to the other, a

Vtruck supporting the ladjacent end portions of said'bodies, a plurality oI'l :independently .functioning truck bearingsv on the truck, a body bearing on each of said end portions adapted to cooperate. respectively with the truck bearings to permit horizontal swiveling movement between said bodies and truck, and a projection on one of said end portions engaging the other of said end portions to prevent excessive lrelative vertical shifting of the bodies. v

11. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck supporting the adjacent ends of two of said bodies, a plurality of independently,functioning truck bearings onthe truck, a body bearing on each invoices oi said ends adapted to cooperate respectively with the truck bearings to permit horizontal swiveling movement between said bodies and truck, and a projection on one of said ends engaging the other of said ends t0 prevent relative vertical shifting of the bodies, said ends being in abutting relation to take buihng shocks and to retain said bodies in sf aced relation.

12. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies the adjacent end portions of which are arranged in abutting relation whereby to transmit buiiing shocks from one body to the other, a truck supportin T the adjacent end portions ot said bodies, a pair of bearing plates on the truck, bearing members on the bodies cooperating respectively with the truck bearing members, and projections depending from the adjacent end portions of the bodies intermediate the connected body and truck bearingsand cooperating with a truck part for preventing sidewise shifting of the bodies and for transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the truck.

13. In an articulated car comprising a plu- -rality of car bodies the adjacent end portions of which are arranged in abutting relation, a truck supporting the adjacent end portions oi said bodies, pair of bearing plates on the truck, bearing members on the. bodiesfcooperating respectively with the truck bearing members, and projections depending from the Vadjacent end portions of the bodies intermediate the connected 4body and truck bearings and cooperating with a truck part for preventing relative sidewise shifting of the bodies and for transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the track, said projections being interengaged to prevent excessive relative vertical shifting of the bodies.

14. In an articulated car comprising a pair of car bodies, abutting connection castings secured to the adjacent end portions of said bodies and provided with depen ding bearings and with depending proj ections', said projections being arranged adjacent the `forward* ends of said castings, a truck beneath the ad,- jacent end portions of said bodies with which said body bearings are engaged for swiveling movement, and a transverse member carried by the truck into which the projections eXl tend whereby relative lateral shitting of the bodies is Vprevented and pulling stresses are transmitted from the bodies to the truck.

l5. A body connection casting for articulated cars comprising a hollow body provided with a buffing surface and a depending pro.- jection adjacent its for v-ard end, and with a body bearing depending from the bottom of the casting at a pointV remote from thel for ward end-of said casting.`

16. A body connection casting for articulated cars comprising a body portion, a. butting casting attached to the `forward end of said body portion and provided with a depending projection, and a body bearing detachably secured to and depending from the bottom of the body portion at a point remote from said projection, said body bearing being longitudinaily alined with said projection.

1'?. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged. end to end in substantially abutting relation, a trucl for supporting the acent end portions of said bodies and means for connecting said bodies and truck comprising a pivot between said ends, a truck bolster arranged beneath the end portion of each car body, bearings between the end portions and their respective bolsters adapted to permit horizontal rotation of said end portions, said pivot being the center of rotation, a. truck center casting arranged between said bolsters, and projections on said car ends extending into the truclr center casting and cooperating therewith for transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the truck and from one body to the other and for preventing relative horizontal shifting of the car bodies.

18. In an articulated car, a plurality of car bodies, a truck for supporting the adjacent end portions of said bodies, a pair of spaced bolsters carried by the truck, bearings between the end portions and their respective bolsters adapted to permit horizontal swiveling movement of the bodies, and means intermediate the holsters for pivotally connecting the adjacent end portions of the bodies to the truck, said adjacent end portions being arranged in substantially abutting relation above the pivot connection.

19. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end in substantially abutting relation whereby butfing shocks may be transmitted directly from one body to the other, the adjacent end portions of the bodies being provided with pivot elements depending therefrom and arranged in interengaged relation and adapted to engage a truck part.

20. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end and provided with bufting surfaces positioned in substantially abut-ting relation, the ladjacent end portions being provided with vertically depending pivot elements arranged in interengaged relation to prevent excessive relative vertical shifting of the bodies and adapted to engage a truck part.

21. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end and provided with horizontally alined abutting buing surfaces for transmitting buifing shocks directly from one body to the other, and pivot elements depending from the end portions adapted to engage a truck part, said pivot elements being so formed as to be interengaged in a plane below the abutting buiiing surfaces.

22. In an articulated car, a plurality of car bodies arranged end to end, a truck for supporting the adjacent end portions of said bodies, said truck having a pair of bolsters arranged respectively beneath said bodies, bearings between the end portions and said bolsters, a transverse truck member, and proj ections depending from the end portions into the said truck member to pivotally connect said bodies and truck, the adjacent end portions of said bodies abutting at substantially the pivotal axis. j

23. A body connection casting for articulated cars comprising a body portion adapted to be arranged longitudinally of a car underframe for attachment to the center sills of said underframe, a buing casting attached tothe forward end of saidbody portionv and provided with a .depending projection, and a body bearing secured to said body portion intermediate its ends.

24. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end, a truck for supporting the bodies provided with a pair of bolsters, bearings between the end portions of said bodies and said bolsters, means on said bodies andtruck in cooperative relation between the bolsters for connecting the bodies and truck to permit pivotal movement of the bodies about a verticalV axis, the adjacent end portions of the bodies being arranged in substantially abutting relation in a plane above but substantially in line with the pivotal axis.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALLEN W. CLARKE. 

